Hudson's Bay Company, situated above the entrance of the Bourbon River; but this they do with reluctance on several accounts; for some of the Assinipoils and Killistinoes, who usually traded with the Company's servants, told me that if they could be sure of a constant supply of goods from Michillimackinac, they would not trade anywhere else. They showed me some cloth and other articles that they had purchased at Hudson's Bay, with which they were much dissatisfied, thinking that they had been greatly imposed upon by the barter.

Allowing that their accounts were true, I could not help joining in their opinion. But this dissatisfaction might probably proceed, in a great measure, from the intrigues of the Canadian traders; for whilst the French were in possession of Michillimackinac, having acquired a thorough knowledge of the trade of the north-west countries they were employed on that account, after the reduction of Canada, by the English traders there, in the establishment of this trade, with which they were themselves quite unacquainted. One of the methods they took to withdraw these Indians from their attachment to the Hudson's Bay Company, and to engage their good opinion in behalf of their new employers, was by depreciating on all occasions the Company's goods, and magnifying the advantages that would arise to them from trafficking entirely with the Canadian traders. In this they too well succeeded, and from this, doubtless, did the dissatisfaction the Assinipoils and Killistinoes expressed partly proceed. But another reason augmented it, and this was the length of their journey to the Hudson's Bay factories, which, they informed me, took them up three months of the summer heat to go and return, and from the smallness of their canoes they could not carry more than a third of the beavers they killed. So that it is not to be wondered at, that these Indians should wish to have traders come and reside among them.

The French always kept a small schooner on Lake Superior whilst they were in possession of Canada.

Two very large rivers empty themselves into this lake on the north and east sides: one is called the NIPEGON RIVER, or, as the French pronounce it, the Allanipegon, which leads to a band of the Chipeways, inhabiting a lake of the same name; and the other is termed the MICHIPICOOTON RIVER, the source of which is situated towards James' Bay, from whence there is but a short carriage to another river, which empties itself into that bay, at a fort belonging to the Company. It was by this passage that a party of French from Michillimackinac invaded the settlements of that society in the reign of Queen Anne. Having taken and destroyed their forts, they brought the cannon which they found in them to the fortress from whence they had issued; these were small brass pieces, and remain there to this present time.

At the upper end of the Straits of STE. MARIE stands a fort that receives its name from them, commanded by Mons. Cadot, a French Canadian, who, being a proprietor of the soil, is still permitted to keep possession of it.

The banks of the RIVER DETROIT, both above and below these towns, are covered with settlements, that extend more than twenty miles; the country being exceedingly fruitful and proper for the cultivation of wheat, Indian corn, oats, and peas. The inhabitants, who are chiefly French that submitted to the English Government, after the conquest of these parts by General Amherst, are more attentive to the Indian trade than to farming. It is badly cultivated.

EXTENT OF COUNTRY WHICH THE NORTH-WEST COMPANY OCCUPIED.*

[Mr. David Thompson, astronomer and surveyor of the North-West Company, commenced in 1796 to survey the position of its posts, some of which had been placed as far south as the source of the Mississippi, or even further, when that point was supposed to be the northern boundary of the United States. But when the 49° became the northern boundary

From "An Investigation of the Unsettled Boundaries of Ontario," by Charles Lindsey, pp. 225–245.

line, it was necessary to ascertain what posts were on the south of it, as the company would be required to vacate them. Mr. Thompson had previously been in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company; but the aversion of that organization to new discoveries caused him to accept employment under the North-West Company, when his first engagement had expired. In the summer of 1795, he had, with no other aid than that of two young Indians, who knew nothing about the country to be travelled over, and one Irishman, made his way from the shores of Hudson's Bay to the east end of Athabaska Lake. He has left behind him a manuscript, giving an account of his travels when he determined the position of the North-West Company's posts; and it is of great importance as showing exactly what extent of country was still held by that company, the successor of the original discoverers of the North-West, some of whose posts it still continued to keep up. This country, so held, and of which the Hudson's Bay Company had not taken possession, had not ceased to be part of Canada at a period later than 1791. I shall follow Mr. Thompson's MS. closely; and it may be advisable to resort to some details connected with this official survey of the country, on account of the great importance of the subject.]

After returning from Athabaska, Mr. Thompson was informed by a letter from Mr. Joseph Colen, the resident at York Factory, with whose sanction the expedition to Athabaska Lake had been undertaken, that he could not sanction any more surveys, whatever might be the extent of the territory still unknown to the H. B. Company. Mr. Thompson's term of service had expired, and his thirst for further discoveries determined him to seek employment from the North-West Company, composed of Canadian merchants, and carrying on their traffic with the Indians from Lake Superior. Accompanied by two Indians, he proceeded to the nearest trading-house of that company, which was under the charge of Mr. Alexander Fraser; and thence, by the usual canoe route, to the great carrying place on the north shore of Lake Superior, then the depôt of the Company's treasures: of merchandize from Montreal and furs from the interior. The agents of the company, the Hon. William McGillivray and Sir Alexander McKenzie, were also partners; men of enlarged views one of them had already crossed the Rocky Mountains, by the Peace River, and had proceeded far by the Fraser towards the Pacific Ocean, when the hostility of the natives, and want of provisions, had obliged him to return, and who was destined to make discoveries in these countries that would render his name immortal.

Mr.

The services of Mr. Thompson were very acceptable to these gentlemen. They desired to learn the position of their trading-houses, with respect to one another, and also to the 49 of north latitude, become, since the Treaty of 1792, the boundary line between Canada and the United States, from the north-west corner of the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, in lieu of a line from the former point to the head of the Mississippi, as designated by the Treaty of 1783. The source of the Mississippi was then known only to the Indians and a few fur-traders, and was supposed to be further north than the Lake of the Woods. Thompson was instructed to survey the 49th parallel of latitude, to go as far as the Missouri River, visit the ancient villages of the agricultural natives who dwelt there, to inquire for the fossils of large animals, and to search for any monuments that might throw light on the ancient state of the countries to be travelled over and examined. He received orders on all the agents and trading posts of the company for men and whatever else he might require. This liberality and display of public spirit he could not help contrasting with the stinginess of the Hudson Bay Company, who had done little in the way of discovery which had not been forced on them by the demands of the British Government.

know.

But the way in which it performed this duty was calculated to conceal the very ledge which it was desired to obtain. It had, in 1785, been requested to send out a compeMr. tent person to ascertain the latitude and longtitude of the west end of Athabaska Lake. Peter Pond, one of the clerks of the North-West Company, who had wintered three years at Fort Chippewayan, on the north side of Athabaska Lake, had made a rough map of the country, which placed the west end of Athabaska Lake near the Pacific Ocean. If this were true, the route across the continent, at this point, might be made available for one purpose or another. Pond had taken his distances from the suppositious leagues of the canoe-men, which Mr. Thompson found to average only two miles each. The agents of the company

sent a copy of this map to Sir Hugh Dalrymple, who was then in office; and he, by comparing it with the charts of Captain Cook, found that it brought the west end of Athabaska Lake within less than one hundred miles of the Pacific Ocean. This was the point which the British Government required the Company to determine by actual survey.

And Mr. Thompson relates how the Company performed this duty. It sent out a boy, fifteen years of age, first making him an apprentice for seven years, of the name of George Charles. Having spent one year at a mathematical school, and, armed with a quadrant, thrice performed the feat of bringing down the sun to a chalk line on a wall, he was forthwith pronounced competent for the duty required. The result of entrusting this lad with a duty which he was quite incompetent to discharge, was to keep from the Colonial Office the required knowledge for five years; and it was not till 1790 that it was obliged, by the pressing instance of the Colonial Department, to send ont a properly qualified person, Mr. Philip Turner, by whom the desired information was obtained.

This Peter Pond, who had so inaccurately laid down the west end of Athabaska Lake, was a violent and unprincipled character, became implicated in the death of Mr. Ross, a fur trader, and was afterwards accused as principal in the murder of Mr. Wadden, another fur trader. He was sent to Quebec, to be tried on the latter charge; but was released on the ground that the jurisdiction of the court did not extend to these distant territories. Being set at liberty, he went to Boston, Massachusetts, his native city, in 1792. Next year brought peace between the thirteen old colonies and England. The British Commissioners, who had to deal with the boundary question, were ignorant of the geography of the country beyond Lake Ontario; and they had but wretched assistance for their guidance in the shape of maps; one of them, by Farren, dated 1773, stopped short in any actual information at Toronto; the whole country to the west being represented as alterations of rock and swamp, and uninhabitable. Mitchell's was somewhat better, and was the best to which they had access. The American Commissioners had Pond at their elbow; and though his knowledge of the true position of places was extremely inaccurate, he had much knowledge of the value of the interior countries. Pond is said to have designated to the American Commissioners a boundary line through the middle of the Upper St. Lawrence and the lakes, and through the interior countries to the north-west corner of the Lake of the Woods, and thence west to the Mississippi; a line that was accepted by the British Commissioners.

Before proceeding to give an account of Mr. Thompson's survey of the boundary line, We must trace the route of the North-West Company of those days from Lake Superior to Winnipeg. In August, 1796, Mr. Thompson started from the south-east end of the Great Carrying Place on Lake Superior, in latitude 47° 58′ 1′′ north, longitude 89° 44′ 10′′ west of Greenwich. To this point came the canoes from Montreal, each one carrying from forty to forty-five pieces of merchandize, each piece weighing from ninety to one hundred pounds, besides spirituous liquors; the return cargoes consisting of furs. Then the merchandize was made into assorted packages of ninety pounds each. The canoes destined to carry them into the interior were of less capacity, but each one was capable of carrying twenty-five, pieces, besides the necessary provisions for the voyage, and the baggage of the men; making altogether a weight of about 2,900 lbs; to which add five men, and the complete canoe load will reach 3,700 lbs.

These moved in brigades of four to eight canoes, to different points in the interior country. That on which Mr. Thompson embarked contained four, and was under charge of Mr. Hugh McGillis; the day of starting being August 9, 1796. His instruments consisted of a sextant of ten inches radius, with quicksilver and parallel glasses, an excellent achromatic telescope, one of a smaller kind, drawing instruments and thermometers; all by Dolland. They proceeded over the Great Carrying Place, which takes a north-west direction from the starting point, and is eight miles and twenty yards long, to Pidgeon River. This point is about three hundred feet above Lake Superior. These eight miles odd consumed five daysdays of severe labour to the men. From Pidgeon River to the height of land the distance is thirty-eight miles, in which there are twelve carrying places, which are together five and a half miles of the distance. The height of land to which we have now come is in latitude 48° 6' 43" north, longitude 90° 34' 38" west, variation six degrees east. South-east from this

dividing ridge the streams run into Lake Superior, north-east by east into Lake Winnipeg, and thence into Hudson's Bay.

The country passed over in the forty-eight miles between here and Lake Superior contains many brooks and small lakes of good clear water, and parts of it seem adapted for pas turage.

:

The country now declines to the north-east, and is intersected by many streams having the same direction they collect finally into a fine river. Rainy Lake is a fine body of water, nine or ten miles in length, and emptying into Rainy River by a descent of about ten feet. Here, below this fall, stood a trading-house of the North-West Company, in latitude 48° 36′ 58′′ north, longitude 93° 19′ 30′′ west. The distance from the height of land to this point is one hundred and seventeen miles. The country is more favourable for agricul ture than the previous section from Pidgeon River to the height of land; and "in several places good farms can be made." Rainy River is a fine stream about two hundred yards wide, interrupted in its course by only one rapid; at the foot of which, in the season, the natives spear, or used to spear, many fine sturgeon. By this river we travel fifty miles and a half to the Lake of the Woods. The banks present all the appearance of a country capable of cultivation; but the rock lies at no great distance from the surface. The Lake of the Woods is thirty-two and a half miles long, and it contains many bays. Its area may be estimated at about eight hundred square miles, over which are scattered many islets. north-east shores are of granite; the western, of limestone, touch on the great alluvial.

The

The Lake of the Woods is memorable in geographical and diplomatic history. It has been the starting point in every treaty of the boundary line between the dominion of Great Britain and the territories of the United States. It is the southernmost lake of the Stony Region; the first that having limestone on its western side, has granite, greenstone and clay slate on the north and the east.

Out of the lake flows the River Winnipeg (sea river) in a north-western direction, into Lake Winnipeg. It is a bold deep stream about three hundred yards in width, contains many isles, and has thirty-two falls and several channels. It is of granite formation throughout its whole course of one hundred and twenty-five miles. At the point of its entrance into Lake Winnipeg, the North-West Company had a trading-house, which owed its origin to the French. Its position was latitude 50° 37' 46" north, longitude 95° 59' 34" west, variation nine degrees east. Though the falls are so numerous, the aggregate length of the carrying places is only three miles.

From Grand Portage to Lake Winnipeg the country was probably never rich in fur-bearing animals; and it has now long since been exhausted as a hunting ground either for fur-bearing or food-producing animals, but few of either remaining. The natives, who are Chippeways, drew their chief means of subsistence from the waters: sturgeon, white fish, pike, mackerel, and carp being the principal kinds of fish found there. Winnipeg House was an important depôt of provisions, which were brought in canoes from the bison countries that surround the Red River (of the North) and the Saskatchewan, and distributed to the canoes and boats for the several wintering places on Lake Winnipeg. Red River enters the lake at a distance of forty-two miles from Winnipeg House; further north the Dauphin contributes its waters, and at the north-west corner of the lake the Saskatchewan, in latitude 53° 43′ 45′′, longitude 98° 31' west, comes in on its way to Hudson's Bay. This lake receives many lesser streams both on the east and on the west. All these waters were valuable as highways for fur-traders. From Winnipeg House to the lower end of the Saskatchewan, the western coast line, which runs north thirty-six degrees west, is two hundred and thirty-one miles; the eastern side is longer, being about two hundred and seventy miles; the width at either end is about forty-five miles. The area of this lake, with its islands, is about ten thousand and eighty square miles. The woods all round the lake are composed of small trees, full of branches. Neither deer nor other animals were abundant, but the waters abounded with good fish.

Mr. Thompson set out from Winnipeg House, coasting along the limestone shores of the lake, mostly low, but sometimes forming cliffs fifty feet high, to the mouth of the Dauphin River. The course in a straight line was north 43° west, one hundred and twentyseven miles. He then proceeded up the Dauphin River, which is about thirty yards wide and three deep, and runs through a forest. Both the soil and the timber improved in quality as he proceeded, but deer and beaver were scarce. The general

course

XTENT OF COUNTRY WHICH THE NORTH-WEST COMPANY OCCUPIED.

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1.

first eight miles was south by west; but there were many turnings in the river. ought him to the Meadow Carrying Place, two thousand seven hundred and sixty ng, which took him to Lake Winepagos (the little sea). It would have been practireach the lake by continuing on the river; but it was so circuitous as to cause the 3 place to be preferred. On this lake he went a distance of fifty-nine miles to Swan small stream only about fifteen yards wide and three deep, and which runs with a urrent through a fine country. He was now among low hills and the heights; which after spending the summer there, were beginning to leave. Beaver now became

ving proceeded twelve miles up the river, he came to Swan River House, of the North ompany, in latitude 52° 24′ 5′′ north, longitude 100° 36′ 52′′, variation 13° east. ere but two families of the native tribe to whom those countries belong, Nathaways. Chippeways had lately come from the south, their own country being exhausted of nd deer.

m Swan River (date September 26th, 1796) he proceeded with horses across the counhe Stone Indian River, on which the North-West Company had several trading-houses, pper house, in charge of Mr. Cuthbert Grant; course forty degrees and a half west iles; most of the way through fine forests, the ground being very good for the horses, few pieces of wet meadow, and even here they did not sink ankle deep. now made for the trading-house, in charge of M. Belleau, between Swan River and dian River, which by observation was found to be in latitude 51° 51′ 9′′, longitude west; course for the last thirty miles having been north twelve degrees west. This ontained much wet ground and ponds occasioned by beaver dams. He now returned eeded to the upper trading-house, in charge of Mr. Hugh McGillis, latitude 52° 59′ 7′′, e 102° 32′ 27′′, on a course north ten degrees east, a distance of one hundred and iles in a direct line, the travelled distance owing to the détours occasioned by the onds, being one hundred and fifty miles. These animals held full possession of the but they were being rapidly destroyed. All these trading-houses of the North-West were on the south side of the range of hills which border on the great plains. countries were the hunting grounds of the Nathaway Indians. Mr. Thompson ppointed in not finding numerous mineral springs in a country having such hill and plain, forest and prairie; beyond the saline brooks of the Red River, ch even then salt was obtained by evaporation, he learned of none.

Nepissings, Algonquins, and Iroquois, their own countries being exhausted of spread themselves over this country, with destructive march, so far as the beaver erned, northward and westward, meeting no molestation from the native NathThe Chippeways and other tribes used the fatally baited steel-trap.* While the ver harvest lasted, the Indians were rich; and they all, men, women and children, arbaric display of their wealth, in the use of silver brooches, earrings, wampum, other trinkets. They wore fine scarlet cloth mantles, and sported other absurd dress. The canoes of the fur-traders were loaded with beaver packs; and the tran the demand so far as to bring down the price in the London market. But e inflated prosperity nor the excess of production could last long. Over countries st extent as these, four years sufficed almost to complete the work of destruction. ans fell back into worse than their original poverty.

Thompson proceeded to the trading-house in charge of Mr. Thornburn, in latitude 8", longitude 101° 45′ 45′′. Having determined the position of this place, he went Stone Indian River to the house in charge of Mr. John McDonell, latitude 49° 40' tude 99° 27′ 15", the course being south by east, and the distance in one straight undred and thirty-one miles. This river is about thirty yards in width, and as it s water from the rains and snows, is of varying depth, according to the seasons. is on the east side of the great plains and the west side of the low hills, whence it everal brooks, and from the plains of Calling River a few. In addition to its being